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I’m moving slowly today, as the time stamp on this post clearly indicates.

I’m in the midst of a job search and that has consumed most of my day. That and lunch at The Diner with a good friend. She’s also looking for a job, but she has the luxury at the moment of being in graduate school. Still, it’s stressful and a good chunk of our lunch was spent chatting about our respective job search efforts.

I have been through this process and it is in no way fun. This time around, though, the outlook is looking more grim than before. It’s hard to keep your chin up with the bleak economy that is moving at a glacial pace toward recovery.

My job search is done almost exclusively online and so I’m often distracted by the internet. I suppose my HuffPo ticker doesn’t necessarily help, but then I wouldn’t have come across this story on 5 tips for maximizing your job search in 2010.

I don’t really give too much credence to these kind of stories as they’re usually pretty generic. This one is actually helpful, though, in that it gives you tips that incorporate social networking. Plus, it provides a much-needed jolt, in case you’re feeling sorry for yourself this holiday season. This is surely something every job hunter should keep in mind. I regularly go through my various social networking sites to make sure that it’s as professional looking as possible. I would add, however, that you don’t need to go overboard and delete all your photos or status updates. I’m not generally a fan of setting up more than one account on facebook or myspace or whatever. For one, it gets hard to maintain multiple sites. I think it also comes across as a little disingenuous. Just make sure your facebook profile is “clean” enough so that your grandma wouldn’t blush upon viewing it.

I especially liked the idea of setting up a Google Voice phone number created solely for the purpose of being reachable by employers.

–Make sure recruiters can reach you easily.
If a recruiter or company has to struggle to contact, it’s over. You won’t get the interview. When publishing your résumé and profile online, use an easy and relatively simple email address. Your first initial and last name will work.

There’s another easy way to be found. You can use a free service called Google Voice to create a phone number that is dedicated to your job search. Publish that number without worrying about stalkers. Although you are worried about privacy, it’s important that hiring managers and recruiters be able to reach you without overcoming a series of obstacles. You are not a celebrity. It’s time to be found so you can get back to work.

One caveat, this is by no means an exhaustive list and you should only incorporate this into your current job hunting routine.